It's a catch 22.

What makes an economy expand or contract is the number of TRANSACTIONS.

By reducing your own 'transaction footprint,' in some ways you are making the overall problem worse (for yourself + everyone).

That's not a complaint -- I am doing the same, to be sure.

It's just important to see the big picture too -- the butterfly effect, if you will.

-- TW

PS: Everyone's livelihood is dependent on everyone else's, in a capitalist society. It's a giant house of cards built of nothing more than interdependent, SUPERFLUOUS professions. By superfluous, I mean any profession that is not found within an Amish village. By withdrawing from the system (curling up in your shell), you are also removing your own 'card' from the house of cards. Again, I'm doing the same thing.